The Marrow of Divinity, Religious treatise · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Questions, and Cases of Conscience about Adoption.
Quest. HOw many sorts of sons are there?
Answ. Foure; 1. There is a son by eternal generation: and so Christ is the Son of God.
2. By Creation; and so Adam, and the Angels are the sons of God.
3. By natural generation; and so Cain was the son of Adam.
4. By Adoption: and so Moses was the son of Pharaohs daughter. And thus God takes us out of the family of Hell to be his adopted sons.
Quest. How manifold is Adoption?
Answ. Twofold: 1. External, whereby the Lord takes a people by outward Covenant and Dispensation to be his sons: and thus the Jewes were Gods first borne, Exod. 4.22. and unto them did belong the Adoption, Rom. 9.4, 5. and hence their children were accounted sons, as well as Saints, and holy, 1 Cor. 7.14. Ezek. 16.20, 21. but many fall from this Adoption, as the Jews did.
2. Internal, whereby the Lord out of everlasting love to particular persons in special, takes them out of the family of Satan, and by internal love, and special account reckons them in the number of sons: making them indeed sons, as well as calling them so. Isaac by special Promise was accounted for the seed, Rom. 9.8.
Quest. How manifold is this internal Adoption?
Answ. Twofold: 1. Adoption begun, 1 John 3.1, 2. Now are we the sons of God, to whom yet the Lord behaves himself for some time, and for some special reasons as unto servants, exercising them with many feares, Gal. 4.1, 2. because some spirits will not be the better for the love of their Father, but the worse, and therefore he is faine to keep an hard hand over them. To others he behaves himself with more special respect, enabling them with more boldnesse to cry Abba Father, Rom. 8.15, 16. who are more easily bent to his will by love.
Adoption perfected, when we shall receive all the priviledges of sons, not one excepted, Rom. 8.23. where we are said to wait for the Adoption, the Redemption of our bodies. By the first we are sons, but not seen and known to be such, 1 John 3.1, 2. By the second, we shall be known before all the world to be so.
Quest. VVhat is the manner of Adoption begun here in this world?
Answ. 1. God loves Jesus Christ with an unspeakable love as his only Son, and our elder brother.
Hence when we are his sons in Christ, he loves us with the same love as he doth his own son.
Hence the Lord accounts us sons, Eph. 1.5, 6. His love is not now towards us as to Adam, his Son by Creation: but in loving his own Son immediately, hence he loves us, adopts us, and accounts us his children.
Quest. What are the benefits and comforts that flow to us from hence?
Answ. If we are sons, then the Lord prizes and esteems us as sons: yea, the poorest, weakest, feeblest believer, is more esteemed by God then all the world, and the glory of it: yea, then all the Kings, and great men in the world, Isa. 43.4, 5, 6. not because they can deserve it, but because he hath freely made them sons.
If sons, then the Lord will certainly take care of us as of sons, and that both for our outward and temporal estate, that we shall want nothing that is good for us, Mat. 6.31, 32. and if at any time we fall into want, and straits, the Lord intends thereby our eternal good: Hence come all Gods corrections, Deut. 8.5. Heb. 12.8.
If sons: then he loves us as sons, as a Father doth his son. Indeed, Israel may say, My God hath forsaken, and forgotten me, Isa. 49.14. and yet no mother tenders her child, as the Lord doth his children. Yea, he freely …hose us to be his sons, and therefore loves us notwithstanding all our sins, Psal. 89.32, 33. If he see Ephraim bemoaning his stubbornnesse, as well as his sicknesse: as Jer. 31.20. God cries out, Is not he my Son?
If sons, then are we heires, and co-heires with Christ, Rom. 8.17. sons by nature are all heires, but all sons by Adoption are: We are heires, First, of the Kingdome of glory, 1 Pet. 1.4, 5. Secondly, of all this visible world, 1 Cor. 3.22. not that we have it all in our own hand; it would be too cumbersome for us: but we have the use and comfort of it. Thirdly, we are heires of the Promise, Heb. 11.9. and 6.17. whereby the Lord himself comes to be our inheritance and portion for ever.
If sons, then we have, and ever shall have the spirit of sons, Rom. 8.15, 16. And hereby 1. We shall be enabled to pray to God, who before could not do it, our mouthes being stopt with guilt. 2. To cry Abba, Father, and this spirit witnesseth that we are sons of this Father. 3. Hereby we are led and guided continually towards our last end: whence it is, that the same sins which harden others, at last humble us: the same temptations by which others fall, and perish, serve at last to purifie us: Hence our decay in grace, leads us to growth at last: Hence our feares and doubts serve to establish us at last: Our wandrings from God for a time, make us esteem more of the Presence and wayes of God at the last. See Shepherds Sound Believer, p. 277.
God will bear with the infirmities of his children, if there be in them a care to please him, with a purpose of not sinning, Mal. 3.17.
Quest. How may we know our Adoption?
Answ. By our resemblance of God, as a natural childe is like his natural father.
Quest. But how may this be known?
Answ. 1. Examine the life of God in thee, who naturally art dead in sin. The breath of this life is heavenly thoughts, meditations, affections: The Actions of this life are spiritual growth, and encrease in grace and vertue. The maintenance of this life, is hungring and thirsting after heavenly Manna, and Water of Life, the Word of God. The very being of it is our union and communion with God by the Spirit, which is as the soul to the body.
Examine the light of God in thee: For he is light, and in him is no darkness, and if thou beest his childe, thou art a childe of light. As thou growest in understanding thy Fathers Will, so thou growest in his Image, and art like Christ thy elder brother, and hast his Image renewed in knowledge, &c.
See whether thou growest up in holinesse and righteousnesse? whether thy light shine before men, Mat. 5.16. 2 Cor. 7.1. whether thou cleanse thy selfe from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit, &c. See Doctor Tailor on Tempt. p. 93.
Quest. What Duties are we taught from the consideration of our Adoption?
Answ. 1. To walk worthy of our Calling; Be not vassals of Sin and Satan: To carry our selves as Kings children, ruling over the lusts of our hearts, the tentations of Satan, and the evil customes of the world.
To come often into our Fathers Presence, doing all as in his sight: seeking his glory by doing his Will, Mal. 1.6.
Strive to resemble Christ, our elder brother, in all vertues, and holy conversation: For 1 John 3.2, 3.
Love Gods Word, that we may grow by it in grace and knowledge: Its the food whereby our Father feeds us, 1 Pet. 2.2.
Expect afflictions and chastisements from our Father, Heb. 12.7, &c.
Quest. VVhat are the meanes of our Adoption?
Answ. 1. Internal. 2. External.
Quest. VVhat is the internal meanes?
Answ. Faith in Christ, which hath three acts or effects.
1. To believe Christ to be a Saviour.
2. To believe him to be my Saviour.
3. To put confidence of heart in him, John 20.29.
Quest. VVhat is the external meanes of our Adoption?
Answ. Baptisme; yet not this alone, but when its joyned with faith, Gal. 3.26, 27. and thus it comprehends both outward and inward Baptism, Mat. 3.11. 1 Pet. 3.21.
Quest. VVhat are the marks of the inward Baptisme?
Answ. The new birth, whereby a man is washed and cleansed by the Spirit of God: which hath three marks.
1. The Spirit of Grace and Supplication, Zach. 12.10.
2. To hear, and obey the voice of God in all things, John 8.47. and 10.27.
3. Not to live in the practice of any sin, 1 John 3.9.
Mr. Perkins on Gal.
Quest. How may the mystery of our Adoption be conceived of?
Answ. A Christian by the Gospel is made a believer. Now faith, after an unspeakable manner engrafts us into the body of Christ; then being engrafted into Christ, who is Gods Son, we thereby come to be the Sons of God, and heires with Christ. Christ is Gods heire, so are all that are grafted upon him, John. 1.12.
Quest. How may the glory of our Adoption appear to be so great?
Answ. 1. If we consider by whom we are adopted, viz. by God: If it be such an honour to be heire to a great Prince in the world, what a surpassing glory is it to be son and heire to God, Rom. 8.17. the rather if we respect the excellency of God, who is King of Kings: or his eternity; he lives for ever, Hos. 1.10. Isa. 9.6. Other fathers that adopt, may die before they passe the estate.
If we consider the great price that was laid down to make us capable of this honour to be heires, viz. the blood of Christ, Gal. 4.4, 5. Heb. 9.14, 15. never was there so much paid for all the inheritances in the world.
If we consider the great things we are heires to, we shall inherit the earth, Mat. 5.5. be heires of the world, Rom. 4.13. yea, we shall inherit eternal life: yea, we are co-heires with Christ, Rom. 8.17.
If we consider the great priviledges which Gods adopted children enjoy in this life, which are
1. They have Christs spirit in their hearts, called therefore the spirit of Adoption, Rom. 8.15, 16. Gal. 4.6. this drives away all legal terrors, and testifies to them that they are the adopted sons of God, enables them to pray with boldnesse, and to call God Father: leads them into all truth, &c. John 16.13. Isa. 30.21.
2. By the right of their Adoption in Christ, both their persons and works are accepted with God: so that they are Gods Favourites, what entertainment soever they have in the world, Eph. 1.6.
3. They have an honourable and everlasting name: so that no preferment is like theirs, Isa. 56.4, 5.
4. They have Gods Angels to attend them, Heb. 1. ult.
5. They may ask whatsoever they will of God, and are sure to have it: yea, he complaines that they will not ask enough, and oft enough, John 16.23.
6. When they fall into distresse, they have such interest in Gods special Providence, that an haire of their heads shall not fall to the ground without it. Besides, God will make himself marvellous in their deliverance, when all worldly means faile, Isa. 43.18, 19, 20, 21.
If we consider the wonderful manner of their communion with Christ, and that foure wayes.
1. Hereby we have communion of nature with him by his Incarnation, whereby he became our brother: yea, we have communion with him in his divine nature, 2 Pet. 1.4.
2. We have communion of state with him, which the Scripture calls a great mystery: for so we are said to live with him, to die with him, to suffer with him, to be buried with him: yea, to rise and ascend with him, and to sit with him, Eph. 2.6. only preserving the difference between the head and the members in all this.
3. We have communion of offices with him: For he hath made us Kings, and Priests with him, Rev. 1.5, 6. 1 Pet. 2.9.
4. We have communion in benefits with him: For God our Father hath blessed us in him with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things, Eph. 1.3. Communion we have with him in grace in this life, and in glory in the life to come.
If we consider the assurance that we have given us for the right of Adoption. For,
1. We have an Act for it in Gods eternal counsel, Eph. 1.5. we are predestinated to Adoption.
2. Yea, we have Gods oath for it, that by these two immutable things the heires of Promise might have abundant consolation, Heb. 6.17, 18.
3. God hath put his Spirit into us as the seal and earnest of our inheritance, Eph. 1.13, 14.
Quest. What kinde of persons must we be to attain to this Adoption?
Answ. 1. VVe must have a true justifying faith, John 1.12. as we said before.
We must look to the sound mortification of the flesh, Rom. 8.13. For none can inherit, but such as overcome their corruptions, Rev. 21.7.
We must forsake all needlesse society, and familiarity with the wicked, and take heed of being corrupted with the sins of the times, 2 Cor. 6.17, 18.
We must make conscience of sanctifying the Sabbath, and choosing the things which will please God, &c. Isa. 56.4, 5, 6.
Quest. What are the marks whereby we may know our selves to be the adopted children of God?
Answ. Such are made like unto God their father in holinesse, in some truth of resemblance, 1 Pet. 1.15. and this they shew two wayes.
1. By purifying themselves, and sound humiliation for their sins that defaced Gods Image in them, 1 John 3.2, 3.
2. By employing themselves constantly in doing righteousnesse. Hereby they are known from the children of the devil, 1 John 3.10.
Such love the brethren as their fellow-heires, 1 John 3.14.
Such have the spirit of prayer, Rom. 8.15, 16.
Such serve God, not out of a slavish fear, but with a filial affection, Isa. 56.6.
Such wil love them that hate them, and blesse them that curse them, Luk. 6.35. Mat. 5.44.
Quest. How must the adopted sons of God carry themselves in this life?
Answ. They must be Peace-makers, Mat. 5.9. their Father is the God of peace.
They must not revile such as revile them, but rather blesse them, seeing they are heires of the blessing, 1 Pet. 3.9.
They must live without carefulnesse, knowing that they have a heavenly Father to care for them, Mat. 6.32. and being heires of a better, they must not set their hearts upon this world, 1 John 2.15.
They must willingly submit to their Fathers corrections, Heb. 12.9.
Mr. Byfield on Peter.
Quest. VVhat may we do that we may attain the spirit of Adoption, and keep the lively sense and feeling of it in our soules?
Answ. We must diligently attend upon the Ministry of the Word, 2 Cor. 3.6, 8. for its the Ministry of the Spirit, because by it God offers and communicates his Spirit, Gal. 3.2.
We must beg this spirit of Adoption of God, Luke 11.13.
We must open the doores of our hearts that the Spirit may enter, Psal. 24.7. Rev. 3, 20. that is, we must call off our mindes from earthly things, and we must raise them up to attend to the motions of the Spirit.
Quest. VVhat are the Signes that we have the Spirit of Adoption?
Answ. If we have the Spirit of Prayer, whereby we can call God, Father, Zach. 12.10. Rom. 8.15, 26. Gal. 4.6.
If we have an high esteem of that dignity which is in Adoption, John 1.12. 1 John 3.1.
If we reverence and honour God as our Father, Mal. 1.6. 1 Pet. 1.17.
If we yield child-like obedience to him, 1 Pet. 1.14. Rom. 8.14.
If we are made conformable to the Image of God our Father, and Christ our elder brother, Mat. 5.48. Rom. 8.29 1 John 3.9.
If we have a lively hope of our future inheritance, Rom. 8.17.
Quest. How may we preserve the witnesse of the Spirit of Adoption in us?
Answ. If we do not extinguish it by contempt of the means of grace, 1 Thes. 5.19, 20.
If we do not grieve the Spirit by the filthinesse of sin, Eph. 4.30.
If we stir it up by our honest endeavours.
Ames. Cas. Consc.